1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mounting structure and method for mounting a heat accumulation tank to receiving member.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-2002-188442 and JP-A-2000-73764 disclose proposals for a heat accumulation tank. This heat accumulation tank includes a tank main body which stores, while keeping warm, coolant for an internal combustion engine. The tank main body has an inner tank and an outer tank, with a space therebetween which is substantially a vacuum in order to improve heat retention. Also as related art, JP-A-10-86644 discloses a mounting structure for mounting a heat accumulation tank to a receiving member (such as a vehicle body member). More specifically, the publication discloses a mounting structure that fixedly supports a tank main body using a bracket that is attached to a receiving member.
However, the holding strength of the mounting structure for a heat accumulation tank described in JP-A-10-86644 is weak because only a portion of the heat accumulation tank is held in the circumferential direction. Further, it is difficult to apply the surface pressure evenly because the tank main body is directly supported by the bracket. This results in problems, such as that it makes the tank main body susceptible to damage. Also, if the bracket, which should reliably hold the tank main body, is spot welded to the outer tank of the tank main body, a slow leak may develop across the interface of the spot weld over an extended period of time. This slow leak reduces the degree of vacuum between the inner and outer tanks, which may result in a decrease in heat retaining performance.